From early on in service a blank wall had been staring at me, perfect for a mural. In my second year of service that vision became a reality. My English Club students enthusiastically took on the project. Here my English Club, which is mostly...
Agriculture; Volunteers; Training; Host community; Site
Indonesia is known for its endless rice fields. During PST, a trainee in my village's host father allowed us to beat the rice onto the tarps, like the farmers. Seeing how rice is processed makes you appreciate food more, and to know that every...
Food and meals; Agriculture; Pre-service training (PST)
Two Volunteers take part in a training session at local rice paddies in Tlekung, Indonesia (Java Timur). They beat the rice plants to remove kernels, which are later dried to allow removal of actual rice.
This is one of my favorite photos of my host niece, and a reminder of my early days at site. I took this photo during my first three months of service in August 2011. During that time I was still adjusting to living with my host family and likewise...
I was invited to chaperone some student leaders who were doing a leadership/character-building workshop. In the classrooms, these students are completely different, they're quiet, they're calm, their personalities are difficult to differentiate. It...
This photograph was taken in July 2011 at my school. One of the many ceremonies and traditions that I've experienced while teaching in Indonesia-- but this one has got to be the hottest---is every day the new students (10th graders) would bring...
Idul Fitri is the most celebrated holiday in Indonesia... it is where all Muslims come together to close Ramadan and ask for forgiveness from one another. Idul Fitri is almost like a combination of every American holiday all wrapped into one as it...
This photo is located in at the main mosque in a town in Indonesia. The Volunteer, Paige, was required to have her head wrapped to show respect to the muslim community who has entered prayer. The mosque was completely full so people filled the...
Participants prepare for a team-building exercise during an Indonesian Girls Leading Our World Camp. The camp focused on leadership, team-work, creative expression and developing healthy lifestyles. It was held for the first time in the most...
The month before Indonesia's Independence Day, there are many different activities that go on within the villages. Here, they dug a hole, placed a massive bamboo pole into the ground (approximately two stories high) and covered it in grease. At...
Shriver, Sargent; Peace Corps Directors; Kennedy, John F.-- Assassination; Budget; Community development
Full text transcript of the December 15, 1963 edition of the television program Meet the Press. Sargent Shriver was the featured guest and he discussed the challenges and accomplishments of the Peace Corps during its early years.
Students at an Islamic boarding school in East Java, Indonesia, await a motivational speech by Volunteer Elle Chang. Usually unaware of the full details of an event until she arrived, Chang learned to embrace the ambiguity of such situations.